d found
him a dullish, heavy speaker, a little as he thought the indifferently
good English parliamentary speaker might be. He often hesitated for a
word, and usually waited for it; sometimes he would persist in having
it at once, when he would close his eyes very tight, and compel it.
His manner and gesture could not be called good, and yet Bart felt
that he was in the presence of a formidable man.

His mind was one of a high order, without a scintilla of genius or any
of its elements. He had a powerful grasp, and elude, as it might, he
finally clutched the idea or principle sought it never escaped him:
and he never rested until its soul and blood were his, or rejected
as useless, after the application of every test. It was a bad day
for slavery when Giddings determined to enter Congress. Cool, shrewd,
adroit, wary and wily, never baffled, never off his guard and never
bluffed; with a reserve of power and expedients always sufficient,
with a courage that knew no blenching, he moved forward. He had more
industry and patience, and was a better lawyer than Wade, but was
his inferior as an advocate. They were opposed in the case in which
Giddings appeared, and Bart already felt that in the atmosphere of the
contest was the element of dislike on the part of Wade, and of cool,
watchful care on the part of Giddings. Wade made two or three headlong
onsets, which were received and parried with bland, smiling coolness.
From his manner no one could tell what Giddings thought of his case or
opponent.

Two or three evenings after, an informal "reception," as it would now
be called, was held at the Giddings residence, to which the students
and nearly everybody else went. It was a pleasant greeting between
friends and neighbors, and a valued citizen, just home after a half
year's absence. Nothing could be more kind and natural than the
manner of Mr. Giddings, supported by motherly Mrs. Giddings, and the
accomplished Miss Giddings, who had spent the winter with her father
at Washington. She was like her father, in mind and person, softened
and sweetened and much more gracious by sex; tall, graceful, and with
the easy presence and manner of society and cultivation.

Bart was taken to her, and taken by her at once. She seemed like an
old acquaintance, and spoke in the kindest terms of his brother, told
him of Washington, its society and customs, and called him Barton at
once, as if they were to be on the best of terms. Bart could see